This Tarantino-esque crime thriller brew (the first, non-horror half of From Dusk Till Dawn) with a shot of whiskey comes from the husband and wife writing team of Kevin James Barry (who directs) and Evalena Marie (who stars).

The noirish boilermaker bubbles with a bank robbery gone wrong as the two robbers take their unwanted — and unknowing hostage — to a seedy, off-season coastal motel in the dead of winter. When they come to realize their boss double-crossed them and they’re trapped in the hotel with no way out, psychosis and paranoia takes over as they turn on each other. And the fact that the motel manager is of the Norman Bates variety doesn’t help.

This is film about hunger: not just from the film’s characters, but from the filmmakers. In a script reportedly written over a frenzied weekend, and with little budget, they put together a gritty crime drama that may remind you of the hungry-budgetary spirit of Tarantino with his debut film, 1992’s Reservoir Dogs, but more accurately, 1993’s Amongst Friends, the debut film by Rob Weiss*.

As you can see by the trailer, while everyone involved is relatively new to the scene with no notable credits, the film is competently shot and acted above the level of most low-budget, self-produced direct-to-video and VOD streaming efforts. Caveat: Since we’re dealing with bouts of paranoia and psychosis, the story take a non-linear approach to convey the character’s deteriorating states. So, if you’re not into a story filled with flashbacks, this may not be the flick for you. But if you enjoy a neo-noir approach to storytelling that keeps you guessing, then there’s something to enjoy.

You can watch Among Them as a VOD exclusively on Amazon Prime or as a free-with-ads stream on TubiTv. You can learn more about the production on its official Facebook page. You can also learn more about the work of Kevin James Barry and Evalena Marie at the Horroble Pictures website.

* We touch on Rob Weiss’s debut film amid our discussions with our “Drive-In Friday: First Time Directors Night” featurette.

Disclaimer: We were provided a screener by the film’s PR company.

About the Author: You can learn more about the writings of R.D Francis on Facebook. He also writes for B&S About Movies.